What To Do In A Dog Attack

December 21st, 2017

For many people, being attacked by a dog is at the top of their list of fears — for good reason. As loyal and friendly as dogs can be under normal circumstances, they can be just as aggressive and dangerous under the wrong circumstances. Dogs can attack when they feel threatened, biting and potentially causing serious injury. It’s important for anyone to understand what they can do to prevent dog attacks, as well as how to protect themselves when a dog attack occurs. Here are some tips to keep in mind if you find yourself being threatened by a dog.

Preventing an Attack

If you encounter a dog that is exhibiting threatening or overly aggressive behavior, you may be able to defuse the situation. Avoid eye contact, keep your arms close to your sides, and try as hard as you can to ignore the dog. Attempting to shoo it away may only antagonize it further — even if you use a calm and gentle voice. Remain still for a moment, then slowly move away to show the dog that you’re no threat.

Try not to strike the dog or shout at it — as the dog will almost certainly interpret these actions as threats and commit to attacking you. Staying calm is key, because dogs will react to aggression with aggression in most situations. It may be possible to distract the dog by throwing a jacket or blanket over its head, but this could backfire. When getting away from the dog, try to put a barrier between yourself and it as you do so.

During an Attack

Even if you remain calm and avoid making eye contact, a frightened or aggressive dog may still try to attack you. If a dog lunges at you and tries to bite, use a purse, stick or some other type of object as a shield between yourself and the dog’s jaws.

Try to get to higher ground if you can, because dogs have a harder time biting something that’s higher than they are. If the dog continues to attack you, curl into a ball, using your arms to protect your neck and the back of your head. If you can use a jacket or blanket to cover the dog’s head, that may create enough of a distraction for the dog to lose interest and stop the attack. If you have a personal defense product such as a pepper spray designed to stop dog attacks, it can be an effective way to deter an attacking dog. Above all else, try to remain as calm as possible during a dog attack. Screaming, fighting back or running away may only make the attack worse.

A dog attack is a situation in which no one wants to be involved, but it’s important to know what to do if you find yourself in one. Dog pepper sprays from SABRE can help protect you from attacking dogs. Contact us today for more information or to purchase your spray.